Gas range



Filed Jan. 11, 1956 5. .3: W K/ T j INVENTOQ? ATTORNEY Patented Apr. 26, 1938 UNITED-"STATES PA TemoFrIe-E I Application January v1 1,

less-{semi No. 585,620

1 Claim' g (01. 292-356) This invention relates'togas ranges and more particularly to ranges of the cabinet type.

An object of the invention is toprovide an improved arrangement for closing off.- the front panel ports through which the usual valve stems protrude.

It is the usual practice in the manufacture of gas ranges of the cabinet type to provide enlarged openings or ports for the passage of the valve .handles and valve stems to the exterior of the range. These ports are usually larger in diameter than the diameter of the valve stems extending therethrough in order to allow for adjustment of the piping and related parts Within the range. It is quite common practice also to fasten the valve handle to the valve stem by means of a set screw or other similar fastening member and in some cases when the piping is adjusted for ex-- ample during the setting up of the range, the valve stem is pulled backwardly by reason of the weight of the piping and other related parts. When spring-pressed valves are employed, this may result in an engagement between the valve handle and the front wall of the range and a consequent partial opening of the valve causing a continuous leakage of gas. This condition is also encountered where closure members or escutcheon plates are provided to close off the ports or openings through which the valve stems protrude. Where such plates have been employed, it has been the usual practice to fasten them to the valve stem by a set screw or the like, thus further increasing the possibility of gas leakage.

Accordingly it is one of the features of thisinvention to provide an improved arrangement for attaching the usual valve handle and escutcheon plate to the valve stem whereby the valve stem is capable of assuming a number of differentpOsitions without danger of the valve being held open.

Another feature of the invention relates to a resiliently supported escutcheon plate for the valve stem of a gas range whereby the valve stem may assume different angular and longitudinal positions with respect to the front panel without disturbing the position of the escutcheon plate.

Another feature relates to a spring-pressed escutcheon plate for gas ranges which is capable of longitudinal movement along the valve stem and of angular movement with respect to the valve stem.

Other features and advantages not specifically enumerated will be apparent after a consideration of the following detailed description and the appended claim.

While the invention will be described herein as embodied in one particular type of cabinet gas range it will be understood that this "is done merely for explanatory purposesand not by way of limitation. Accordingly in the drawing, :Fig. 1 is aperspective view of a gas range em bodying features of the invention. r

.Fig'. 2 is a detailed view, partly in section, show-- ing the relation between the valve. stem, valve handle and escutcheon. plate according to the invention, the. section beingtaken. along. line 22 10 ofFig.1. 5

Fig. 3 is a view similar to that of Fig. 2 showing the valve stem in a different angular position. Fig. 4 is a sectional view taken along the line 4-4 of Fig. 2. 15

Fig. 5 is an enlarged view of the escutcheon plate spring.

Fig. 6 is a front view of one of the escutcheon plates. 7

Referring to Fig. 1 there is shown a typical 20 form of cabinet gas range having the usual burner-box front panel I through which the various valve stems 2 protrude. Preferably and as shown in detail in Fig. 2 each of the valve stems 2 has its forward end cut away to form aofiat 3 and the forward end is also split as indicated by the numeral 4 so as to frictionally retain the valve handle 5 in place, it being understood that the shank 6 of the valve handle is likewise provided with an internal flat I. As will be seen from Fig. 2, the port 8 through which the valve stem passes is of materially larger diameter than the stem. This is necessary because in assembling or setting up the range it is not always conven-. ient to maintain the valve stems perpendicular to the front panel or in'just the right forward position. These enlarged ports in addition to be ing unsightly are also undesirable as they enable liquids to leak into the burner-box. In accordance with the present invention each of the valve 40 stems is provided with an escutcheon plate one of which is shown in detail front view in Fig. 6. Preferably and in accordance with the invention the escutcheon plates are not rigidly fastened to' the valve stems but are loosely mounted thereon 45 so as to have appreciable freedom of movement a both longitudinally of the valve stem. as well as angularly with respect thereto.

As shown clearly in Figs. 2 and 6 the escutcheon plate is provided with a cylindrical recess 9 which 50 is of appreciably larger internal diameter than the outside diameter of the cylindrical shank 6 of the valve handle. The bottom Ill'is provided with an opening ll through which the valve stem 2 passes. The escutcheon plate is resiliently 55 held flat against the panel I by means of a helical spring l2 which is seated in the recess 9 and abuts against the end of shank 6. It will be understood that spring l2 can be a very light spring since its only function is to press the loosely mounted plate against the panel I, it has no efiecttherefore in forcing the valve stem 2 forwardly. Since the escutcheon plate is loosely mounted on the shank 6, the spring 12 at all times presses the said escutcheon plate flat against'the panel I, notwithstanding that the valve stem 2 may be 'at an inclination to the panel I as represented in Fig ,3; Consequently ififor any'reason the valve stem 2 should be forced inwardly in the direction ofthe arrow (Figs. 2 and 3) this results merely in a compression of springl2 and without disturbing, the position of the escutcheon plate. Furthermore there is no danger of the valve being accidentally openedbythe' inward movement'of the valve stem because the valve handle 5 is merely frictionally held on the 'end of the split stem and the escutcheon plate is looselymounted on the handle. If therefore the stem 2 is moved inwardly an excessive amount as for example during the repair or setting uplof the range this will result merely in a forcing off of the handle 5 andwithout forcing open the valve proper. In addition'to providing a safety factor this particular manner of assembling the valve handle and escutcheon plate expedites the assembly of the parts sinceit is not necessary to employ the usual set screws or the like to fasten the parts together. Preferably both the handle 5 and the 'escutcheon plate are of bakelite, fiber, or other similar heat insulating material While one specific embodiment of the invention has'been disclosed herein it will be understood that various changes and modifications may be made therein without departing from the spirit a and scope of the invention; v

What I claim is:

r i I W m In combination a front panel having a port, a l

stem extending through said port, said port be- 1 ing materially larger in diameter'than said stem I to allow said stem to assume different angularpositions with respect to said panel, an escutcheon closure member for said port comprising an annular member lying fiat against the front of said panel and having an opening materially larger T than the diameter of said stem but smaller than the diameter of said port, said member having an JAMES R. HALEY. 

